The color black.

The color black is used very successfully in many fly patterns whether in the body material such as silk and rayon floss, threads, and hackle, both cock and soft hackle. These are used in the pattern singly or in multiples to create flies from ants to streamer flies. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the woolly bugger, especially the black version and know of it's prowess to take fish. One of the problems with black is the anglers ability to see the fly on the water. Some patterns have incorporated hot spots of color such as orange, or white. These work but I prefer to just float the fly and see the rise. Here are a few black flies I have tied and tried. They work and should have a place in the anglers box.

A standard upright hackle black fly. Can be a representative of many land based insects.

This little guy could be a beetle, and is tied with cock hackle palmered, and a black soft hackle collar. Deadly at times.

In the July/August issue of "American Angler" is an article on Fry Flies. Streamer flies that represent small newly born fish. Here is a fly that copies a fry to it's best. The Black Ghost Marabou looks like a smelt, herring, alewife, and an elver. Maybe why this fly works so well on the sea-run brook trout.

A day with an unexpected ending.

I fished a stream yesterday that I'm familiar with. It is one of Connecticut's prettiest by far and holds a good population of wild brook trout, and the surprise brown from time to time. The brook has a few feeder streams with one in particular that I have fished and reported on. Along its banks is a beautiful red barn, and not to be outdone by the barn the wildflowers put on a color extravaganza worthy of the time to sit there and just take it in.

This day was not unlike others, I chose to fish the main stream which took me a good two hours. I hooked many brookies, all on dry flies but felt a little bummed out. For as many as I hooked not a one came to hand. Still a good day and I still had a hour to fill up before I had to leave.

I decided to fish the red barn brook. The few times in the past that I worked its waters I have done well. I remember fishing a deep pool right under a stone bridge and taking an impressive brook trout on a size 10 Picket Pin. Another time a beautiful brook trout slammed a BA Caddis, which is another large fly. So I opened the fly box and looked for a BA Caddis, none there, because they are all at home. Continuing to look for a suitable alternative I noticed a couple of stimulator's. I selected an orange bodied one and started fishing. I fished the stream a few yards upstream of the stone bridge.

It did not take long before I had several strikes. The issue was the fish taking the fly or should I say trying to take the fly were no bigger than the stimulator.

With time running out and still nothing to hand I had convinced myself that I had a wonderful outing. Casting the fly into a riffle which is seen on the right side of the stream. As the fly ended its drift a fish struck. I felt the hook set and the fight was on. Several moments passed and the trout showed no sign on submission. I could tell the trout was a nice one, and hoped the hook wouldn't pull free. The little glass rod did well in handling the trouts runs and shakes.

What seemed like an hour of battle the trout finally gave up. As I reached in the water and placed my hand under him I could not believe what I saw.

This is by far my largest brook trout of 2015. Beautifully colored, gorgeous blue halos, a true masterpiece. And to think I was about to call it a day.

BA Caddis on the left, and a Stimulator on the right. Always keep a few in you box.

Try not to forget next time.

About a month ago I did a post on Gray Wolfs Rangeley Sesquicentennial streamer fly. One of my followers challenged me to try to copy the streamer. So the other day I got the necessary materials together and began tying this beautiful streamer.

Everything was going smoothly, even the bucktail was cooperative and the streamer came together nicely. I tied in the Jungle Cock and was applying the first coat of head finish.

That's when I noticed the clump of Peacock feathers on the table beside my tying station. The light went on and I said to myself "you forgot to tie in the shoulders". So I put another coat of lacquer on the head and completed the fly.

I guess it came out pretty good. Next time I'll put all the materials on the fly.

Woods, Wild Flowers, and Wild Brook Trout

Yesterday the plan was to meet Kirk and do some small stream angling. This was to be Kirk's first outing in about a month and he was pretty anxious to toss a fly. We arrived at the first stream about 7am, which is about an hour earlier than most brook trout wake up. Over the years of fishing small streams one of the things I have found out is the fact that most brook trout do not like to wake up and start their daily routines until 8am at the earliest. For me the action seems best around 10-11am.

Well at this first stream and on my second cast I hooked a brookie, the time about 7. Not all is etched in stone. As it turned out that was the last fish I hooked for some time. The sun was coming through the trees and bringing the woods to life. It was a cool morning which I favor and the insect activity was minimal. We moved on to another stream and found it to be not flowing with the same intensity as the last stream. We fished a few fast runs, and plunges with some interest paid to our flies. Then at a deep pool that flows alongside a large boulder I heard Kirk shout he had hooked a nice one. As he walked towards me he said he had landed a beautiful wild brown, unfortunately the camera failed due to bad batteries.

The mountain laurel is in bloom and creates some natural beauty throughout the woods. After a brief coffee break we hit the last stream of the day. It's a stream that we have fished many times over the years. The stream holds wild brook trout and has some of the most beautiful streams in Connecticut.

It was along this run that a brook trout rose to the dry. The fish was spunky and full of fight. Moments later I was gifted with a reward.

For a few seconds I was able to hold a wonder of nature. A quick photo and he was back in is home. The colors and orange spotting on this fish make it really stand out.

I moved further downstream to this fast and deep run-pool. An area where you would expect a fish to be. You know what, there was. The brookie hit the Crowningshield and then the action began. This brookie was tough and used the whole pool to try to make his escape. But in the end the little glass 3wt was to much to overcome.

This was one of my better fish taken from this stream. As it turned out it was to be the last fish of the day.

Clear cold water, a must for wild brook trout.

Wild daisies, so fitting..........